Rathdal The Outcast

Excerpts from the journal of Rathdal the Dwarf, son of Brann of the Bronzebeard Clan, and now known as Rathdal the Outcast.

"Father says that I'm an upside down dwarf. Not interested enough in gems and metals, rock and dirt. Maybe he's right."

"It's even more beautiful than the books could describe. The light sparkles over the water like it does through jewels, but here there are an infinite number to dazzle the eyes."

"The mate said they'd never had a dwarf on board, but that he thought that he could make a sailor of me."

"I just can't get up the ropes fast enough! I've been sent below to help the cook. The mate said 'If we need someone to swing an ax we'll call. Until then, stay out of the way.' How am I supposed to be a sailor if I'm stuck with the cook?"

"We attacked a cargo ship today. I wasn't much help till we came along side and began to board, but once we did, I was practically unstoppable! They gave me a big shield and just had me push through. After that I just helped them knock some heads together, tie them up, and we were done with almost no losses! We did lose the cook though. Since I've been mostly banished below deck anyway, the mate assigned me as new cook. 'Until I kill someone with my cuisine.' was how he put it."

"Turns out I'm pretty handy with a ladle. Who'd have thought I'd go to sea to become a cook?!?"

"The mate had to skip the action today. He was down with a bad stomach bug, but I'm taking the blame. The rest of the crew didn't seem to mind dinner last night."

"He put me ashore! Told me that no dwarf would show him up in front of the crew, and now here I am. Where ever here is. I don't even know if this Atoll has a name."

"I wonder if they'll ever come back for me."

"I'm running out of water. It hasn't rained in days."

"I saw a ship today, far out on the water. It never came near. There was a brief squall, I collected as much water as I could. I hope it's enough."

"It's been a week now, and I'm out of water."

"I think an empty coconut just talked to me. Really need some water."

"The coconut says it's name is U'slim. What an upside down name. It told me to dig up a shell from under a double palm tree. I brought it 3 before it said I found the right one. It told me to scoop up some water and drink from it. The only water left is from the sea. You don't drink sea water."

"It took another day, but I listened to it. I drank from the seashell, and it was pure freshwater!"

"U'slim says that it isn't actually a coconut, but the Atoll itself. That U'slim is really a god..."

"U'slim told me where the crabs hide today."

"A ship stopped here today, offered to take me with them. Where could they take me, but away from U'slim."

Rathdal still lives on the Atoll of U'slim.